Singapore Airlines is to begin re-fitting several of its Boeing 777-300 aircraft with new first and business class seating later this month.

A total of seven B777-300s will be fitted with “the airline’s most recent cabin offerings”, including new seats in business and first class, improvements to the economy class product, and in-flight entertainment enhancements.

First class will see the current 18 seats replaced with eight fully-flat beds in a 1-2-1 configuration (each with a width of 35 inches), the same product currently available on the carrier's B777-300ER aircraft (see below).

Business class will see the same seat recently introduced on SIA's new A330-300 aircraft (see online news January 2), and will feature a leather lie-flat seat with six-way adjustable headrest and lumbar support.

The economy class cabin will also benefit from refurbishment, with new seat covers designed by Givenchy. In-flight entertainment enhancements will include audio visual on demand in all classes, as well as larger screens in business (15.4 inches) and first class (23 inches).

The first refurbished aircraft will operate on the Singapore-Sydney service (flights SQ231 and SQ232) from July 22, with routes to Dubai, Shanghai, Riyadh and Istanbul due to follow later in the year.

Note that SIA’s B777-300 aircraft are not be confused with the carrier’s B777-300ER fleet, which operate on routes including London-Singapore. These aircraft feature the airline’s spacious fully-flat business class product which is configured 1-2-1 across.

Singapore Airlines has reached an agreement with Airbus to defer thedelivery of eight Airbus A380s that it has on order, by between sixmonths and a year.The Star Alliance member, the launch customerfor the aircraft, has taken delivery of nine A380s. It will receive twomore in the fiscal year that ends 31 March 2010 as scheduled.Underthe revised delivery schedule, however, Airbus will deliver the 12thaircraft in October 2010 rather than April 2010. SIA will receive itslast and 19th aircraft in January 2012 rather than January 2011. Theairline has another 21 A380s on option."This move will help Singapore Airlines to better match capacity to demand during the downturn," says SIA.Itadds that it is satisfied with the operational and commercialperformance of its A380s, which were launched on the Singapore-Sydneyroute nearly two years ago.SIA flies the A380 twice a day toLondon, and daily to Sydney, Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong, and startingfrom 29 September to Melbourne as well.

Singapore Airlines CEO Chew Choon Seng believes the traffic downturn largely has bottomed out. Speaking to ATWOnline at this week's Star Alliance event in Newark, Chew cited "signs. . .that market demand has stabilized," adding that SIA has observed that some corporations are easing their travel policies. But he noted that "all of us have lost two years of growth" and "the fact of the matter is that the G20 countries are not out of the woods yet." Discussing the collapse in airfreight, which has hit Asia/Pacific airlines particularly hard, he said it is too soon to say whether it portends a structural or cyclical change in that segment of the business. SIA has parked only one of its 13 747-400Fs, while some others are "doing useful charter work carrying F1 race cars," he said, smiling. SIA has no plans to add any freighters.

SIA suffers heavy loss but sees demand 'gradually recovering'Wednesday November 11, 2009 Related MicrositesStay ahead with the latest aviation & MRO industry news : Delta TechOpsRead about company developments including our launch of the Government Research tool : Inventory Locator ServiceSingapore Airlines reported a S$158.8 million ($114.4 million) loss in its fiscal second quarter ended Sept. 30, reversed from a S$323.8 million profit in the year-ago period, but said that "advanced bookings indicate that demand for air travel has stopped declining and is gradually recovering."

Group revenue fell 29.6% year-over-year to S$3.08 billion against a 21.3% cut in expenses to S$3.26 billion. Operating result swung to a S$181.4 million loss from a S$231.7 million profit in the three months ended Sept. 30, 2008.

The SQ airline unit suffered a S$157 million operating loss in the quarter and now is S$428 million in the red through the half-year, a figure that includes a S$400 million fuel hedging loss. It reported a S$495 million profit in the year-ago semester. SIA Engineering made S$47 million in the six months ended Sept. 30, SIA Cargo lost S$193 million and SilkAir lost S$5 million.

SIA took delivery of four A380-800s and four A330-300s during the semester while decommissioning three 747-400s. The operating fleet comprised nine 747-400s, 77 777s, 10 A380-800s, eight A330-300s and five A340-500s as of Sept. 30.

Looking ahead, SIA said that "market conditions allow for some rollback of promotional pricing but yields are unlikely to get back to pre-crisis levels within the next six months."

Singapore Airlines (SIA) is modifying some Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines to the latest "C mod", following the 4 November uncontained engine failure on a Qantas Airways A380 that has been linked to earlier variants of the powerplant.The Star Alliance carrier is in the process of modifying all the "A mod" variants of its Trent 900s to the "C mod" and will eventually modify the "B mod" variants as well, say sources familiar with the matter.Industry sources say that the cause behind the Qantas engine failure - an axial misalignment of the counter-boring in the stub pipe of the engine - was limited to earlier variants of the Trent 900."The priority is to make sure you have no 'A mods'," says one of the sources.SIA's spokesman says the engines are covered under TotalCare agreements that the carrier has signed with Rolls-Royce, indicating that the modifications will be paid for by the engine manufacturer.Asked if the carrier will seek compensation from Rolls-Royce for losses resulting from taking aircraft out of service for the changes, the spokesman says: "The priority at this point is managing the situation from an operational standpoint and ensuring that flights are not disrupted."Qantas indicated last week that it could commence legal action against Rolls-Royce to recover losses from the grounding of its A380 fleet in the wake of the engine failure."If compensation discussions needs to take place, they will take place at the appropriate time," adds SIA's spokesman.Rolls-Royce's spokeswoman, when contacted, says: "It is not true that we knew about a problem in the A and B versions of the engine and went on to correct it in the C version. There has been no design change relevant to this failure between A, B and C versions of the engine."

Rolls-Royce's spokeswoman, when contacted, says: "It is not true that we knew about a problem in the A and B versions of the engine and went on to correct it in the C version. There has been no design change relevant to this failure between A, B and C versions of the engine."

Dec. 31 (Bloomberg) -- Singapore Airlines Ltd.’s Goh Choon Phong, who takes over as chief executive officer tomorrow, may shed the last major remains of the carrier’s global expansion strategy as he confronts rising competition in Asia.

Goh, 47, may get offers for the airline’s 49 percent stake in Virgin Atlantic after the U.K. carrier said this month it had received tie-up inquiries. Outgoing CEO Chew Choon Seng called the investment “underperforming” two years ago and has said the airline would consider a sale.---------------“SIA isn’t in a hurry to sell, but if they get a fair price they will,” he said. “Virgin hasn’t provided any significant synergies over the years.”

Delta Air Lines Inc. and Middle East airlines are among carriers exploring a Virgin tie-up, Sky News reported this month, without saying where it got the information from. Singapore Air’s stake complicates a deal as local ownership rules limit non-European investors to minority stakes.

“Either Singapore Air sells or Branson loses effective control by selling part of his stake,” said Andrew Miller, chief executive officer of CAPA Consulting LLC, which advises airlines.-----------------------

But a spokesman for SIA confirms that while the 12 first-class suites will stay, the business-class seating will be increased to 86 in the eight aircraft yet to be delivered.

The economy-class seating will be cut back to 311 seats.

SIA has not detailed the precise layout of the aircraft but its current 471-seat A380s have 311 economy seats on the lower deck, which could indicate that the 88 upper-deck economy seats will be replaced by 26 business-class seats - giving the A380 an all-business upper deck.

This reconfiguration will also mean SIA will operate one of the lowest-density A380s in the global fleet. Only Korean Air has fewer seats, having declared a 407-seat layout for its A380s, the first of which will be handed over on 26 May.

Singapore Airlines has reached an agreement with Airbus to lease another 15 A330-300s for its fleet.These aircraft will both replace older Boeing 777s in the Star Alliance carrier's fleet and grow its capacity in the coming years. They will be delivered from the Airbus production line between 2013 and 2015, said SIA.The A330s, which will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, will be leased for a minimum of six years, with an option for an extension. They will be operated on regional and medium-range routes to Asia, Australia and the Middle East, said the carrier.SIA's fleet already has another 19 A330-300s that it initially got on five year leases, and these could remain in service for even longer. "There is an option to extend that lease, and there is flexibility on the length of the lease extension," said a spokesman.The carrier also has 20 Boeing 787-9s and 20 Airbus A350-900s on firm order, according to information in Flightglobal's ACAS database. The 787s were initially due for delivery in 2011, but multiple delays in the programme means that this has now been pushed to 2013 at the earliest."We remain in discussions with Boeing on the delivery date for the 787s. The first delivery of the A350s is scheduled for the 2013/14 financial year," said SIA's spokesman.SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong added: "Together with the additional [Airbus] A380s that we are taking delivery of this year, as well as A350s and 787s on order for the years ahead, the lease of the A330s is consistent with our longstanding policy of operating a young and modern fleet."The spokesman said that SIA has not decided on the aircraft for its new long-haul low-cost subsidiary, which is due to begin operations within the next year. The airline has said that it would initially provide aircraft to the subsidiary, but the spokesman reiterated that these A330s are for the full service carrier's operations.Receiving more A330s, however, would allow SIA to transfer some 777-200s in its fleet to the new subsidiary. These 777s could be upgraded to have an extended range and their cabin can be retrofitted for the low-cost operations, said industry sources.

Singapore Airlines has reached an agreement with Airbus to lease another 15 A330-300s for its fleet.

These aircraft will both replace older Boeing 777s in the Star Alliance carrier's fleet and grow its capacity in the coming years. They will be delivered from the Airbus production line between 2013 and 2015, said SIA.The A330s, which will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, will be leased for a minimum of six years, with an option for an extension. They will be operated on regional and medium-range routes to Asia, Australia and the Middle East, said the carrier.SIA's fleet already has another 19 A330-300s that it initially got on five year leases, and these could remain in service for even longer. "There is an option to extend that lease, and there is flexibility on the length of the lease extension," said a spokesman.The carrier also has 20 Boeing 787-9s and 20 Airbus A350-900s on firm order, according to information in Flightglobal's ACAS database. The 787s were initially due for delivery in 2011, but multiple delays in the programme means that this has now been pushed to 2013 at the earliest."We remain in discussions with Boeing on the delivery date for the 787s. The first delivery of the A350s is scheduled for the 2013/14 financial year," said SIA's spokesman. SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong added: "Together with the additional [Airbus] A380s that we are taking delivery of this year, as well as A350s and 787s on order for the years ahead, the lease of the A330s is consistent with our longstanding policy of operating a young and modern fleet."The spokesman said that SIA has not decided on the aircraft for its new long-haul low-cost subsidiary, which is due to begin operations within the next year. The airline has said that it would initially provide aircraft to the subsidiary, but the spokesman reiterated that these A330s are for the full service carrier's operations.Receiving more A330s, however, would allow SIA to transfer some 777-200s in its fleet to the new subsidiary. These 777s could be upgraded to have an extended range and their cabin can be retrofitted for the low-cost operations, said industry sources.